beckers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. BROKERS.

BOAT ROWING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 23

2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

A. BEGKERS.

BOAT ROWING APPARATUSL 'No. 287,088. Patented 001;. 23. 1883.

any boat or detached therefrom at pleasure,

NITED STATES Erica.

PATENT- BOAT -ROWI NG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,088, dated October 23, 1883.

Application filed July 25, 1883. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, ALEXANDER BEOKERS, ofHoboken, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rowing Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has relation to that class 'of rowing attachments for boats wherein the oars are pivoted or otherwise secured at their inner ends upon a suitable support, enabling the operator to sit facing the point toward which the boat may be moving.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, cheap, and compact arrangement for supporting the inner ends of the oars, enabling them to be moved forward and back, up and down, or in any required direction with ease and certainty, adjustable, so as to regulate the depth of stroke, preventing accidental disarrangement of the oars, and allowing them to be readily unshipped when required, capable of being easily and quickly applied upon and withal not likely to be damaged or disarranged during ordinary use. To accomplish all of this my improvements involve certain novel and useful peculiarities of construction, relative arrangements or combinationsof part-s, details of manufacture, and principles of operation, all of which will be herein first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, all the figures are in perspective.

Figure 1 represents an apparatus constructed and arranged for operation in accordance with my invention; and involving the principles thereof. Fig. 2 represents one of the oar-supporting springs detached. Fig. 3 represents the lever employed in connection with one of the stay-rods. Fig. 4. represents the cap-piece for the standard. Fig. 5 represents the bearing for the inner arms of the springs. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 represent, respectively, the inner block, one of the guiding-shells, and the clamp for the shells, the latter being open to illustrate its form; and Fig. 9 represents the two shells in position in their clamp or holder.

In all these figures like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts.

The ears are connected with the central stanchion, so that they may be moved in any required direction by the operator, who seizes them at points about eighteen inches (more or less) from the stanchion and propels the boat in the direction of the point toward which he is facing. The weight of each oar is supported by a helical spring, a or u, having cylindrical ends. One end, I) or b, of each spring answers as the axis about which the oar is made to swing, and the other end, 0 or 0, forms the axis about which the oar is partially revolved in the act of feathering, as will be readily understood. The axes b b have each two bearings. The upper bearing is composed of two parts, (Z d, intended to receive the axes b b, and each part made movable around a central bolt, j, which sustains them upon the stanchion g. The lower bearing is supported upon a stanchion, as by a bolt, 2'. It is composed, essentially, of two shells, e 6', each having a bottom piece,.as represented in Fig. 6, the same being held in the shells by in denting the material of the shell, as represented in Fig. 7. The curvature of the bottom piece is concentric with the bolt f, so that the ends of the springs may move freely in the shells. for the axes b b, and may therefore be made thin'and light. The block for the bottom is made heavier, and has an upturned end, against which the axis abuts when greatest strain is brought thereon. The axes b b slide in these guides or bearings as the ears are raised and lowered, and they (the axes) may be moved so that they will incline at an angle of about forty degrees with the stanchion, affording ample movement to allow the oars to be lifted over any obstacle. These shells e e are held in place by pressure of the bolt 2', and may be adjusted in their carrier, so as to regulate the height of the oars. In Fig. 9 they are shown as moved one past the other more than in Fig. 1, and the adj ustment may be made as desired. By this means the cars may be made to hang so as to dip into the water, or to swing above it, and by it also the requisite adjustments may be made to enable one The latter are only intended as guides to employ a,light or heavy car, or a light or heavy spring, and maintain the oar at the proper height. As seenin the drawings, the two bearings sustain the axes b b so that they cross each other, and each in a plane at right angles (or thereabout) with respect to the keel-line L, thus supporting the oars m m so that they hang always in positionfor use, and so that when moved much fore or aft they swing upwardly without touching the rim or gunwale of the boat.

The oarsman sits upon the seat N and pulls the oars toward him in order to propel the boat, or, in order to retard its motion, pushes them from him. This latter motion brings a strain upon the helical spring, tending to open it, and to counteract this effect I employ the sleeves 0 0, which embrace the upper part of the coil in the spring and prevent them from spreading, but in no manner interfere with the elastic properties of the springs.

The stanchion S rests upon the bottom of the boat, andis strung to the keel by two wire stays, p and q, the latter being supplied with a lever attachment, r, by use of which the stays may be quickly and effectively tightened. The lever attachment is screwed upon its stay-rod, so that the length thereof may be readily adjusted. The lever is hooked over the projection on the cappiece, and then, by

crowding it down or closing it on its hinge, it

brings a powerful strain upon the stay-rod and holds the stanchion very firmly. The stanchion requires no side stay-rods, being made with an extended base, which may be conveniently produced by sawing into the bottom of the stanchion, steaming and bending, and bracing the two parts by a triangular block, substantially as represented. By so locating and securing the stanchion, free passage-way is left on both sides thereof.

To prevent the oars from being suddenly and accidentally detached from the bearings on the stanchion, which might occur if lifted too high in an emergencyas in passing an obstaelel employ any simple form of detent which will not interfere with the movements of the oars, and which will permit them to be dismounted whenever purposely required. This detent is shown in the shape of a wire hook, Fig. 1, one for each spring, engaging with the coil of the spring, and also with the axis below the upper bearing. WVith this, to dismount the oar, the hook can be disengaged from the axis, when the latter can be slipped out of its bearings. The axes are made cylindrical; but the bent part of the spring is WVhen constructed and arranged substantially in accordance with the foregoing explanations, the improved device is found in practice to admirably answer the purpose or object of the invention, as previously set forth. Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. In a rowing apparatus, the oar-supporting springs, each of which is provided with an inner projecting end or axis, these axes being made to cross each other, and each having an upper and lower bearing supported upon a central stanchion, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a rowing apparatus, the upper bearing for the inner ends of the oar supporting springs, said bearings beingcomposed of two parts, one movable upon the other, and both secured upon the central stanchion, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a rowing apparatus,thelowcr bearings for the inner ends of the oar supporting springs, said bearings being made adjustable within their carrying-block, and mounted and secured upon the central stanchion, substantially as shown and described.

4. The herein-described springs for sustaining the cars, the same having cylindrical ends or axes, and having the curved portions flattened, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination with the oar-supporting springs, the sleeve upon their curved central parts arranged to prevent spreading thereof, in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a rowing apparatus wherein the oars are supported upon springs connected with a central stanchion, the detents for preventing accidental displacement of the springs, the same being combined with the springs, for the purposes and objects set forth.

7. In a rowing apparatus, the herein-described stanchion, combined with the foreand aft stays, said stanchion being provided witlTTo3---- an extended base, and supported and arranged in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a rowing apparatus, the central stanchion having an extended base, and the fore and aft stay-rods connected with the stanchion, one of the said rods being provided with a movable lever for straining the same, all combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ALEXANDER BEOKERS.

Witn esses:

0. WV. CRosLEY, CHAS. BEcxERs.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 287,088, granted October 23, 1883,

upon the application of Alexander Beckers, of Hoboken, New Jersey, for an improvement in Boat-Rowing Apparatus, an error appears in Figure 1 of the drawing forming a part of said patent, requiring the following correction, viz: the reference letters 0 0 should be erased and the letters 12 I) inserted therefor; and that the patent should'be read with this correction therein to make it conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 13th day of November, A. D. 1888.

[SEAL] M. L. JOSLYN,

Act mg Secretary of the Interior.

Gountersigned:

BENJ. BUTTERWORTH,

Commissioner of Patents. 

